Russell Brand accused of sexual assault on Arthur set
Russell Brand is facing a new sexual assault lawsuit brought by an extra on his 2011 movie Arthur.
In her lawsuit, filed in New York, the woman - who remains anonymous - claims the comedian and actor had "appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol, and was carrying a bottle of vodka on set" before the alleged assault on 7 July 2010.
She claims that the 48-year-old exposed himself to her in public and later the same day assaulted her in a bathroom by forcing her to perform oral sex on him as "a member of production crew guarded the door from outside".
The woman is also suing Warner Bros Pictures and other companies involved in the production, which was largely filmed in New York.
She told The Sunday Times: "I felt used and abused. Disgusting is the only word. I felt like I was being used, that I was just an object for his momentary titillation."
In the court documents, she claims that she "suffered and continues to suffer extreme embarrassment, shame, and fear" as a result of the alleged attack. She is remaining anonymous as she still works as an actor and fears harassment from fans of the former comedian - whose conspiracy theory-filled YouTube channel has more than six million subscribers.
The case was filed on Friday under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which allows alleged victims of sexual offences for which the statute of limitations has expired to file civil suits between 24 November 2022 and 24 November 2023.
Brand did not immediately publicly respond to the lawsuit but has denied previous accusations of rape and sexual assault made by four women following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches.
British police have said they are investigating claims made against Brand, but the woman's lawsuit, filed with New York State Supreme Court, is the first time allegations have been made against the star in legal documents.